For many wine lovers, Cristal is the most opulent prestige cuvée. In 2005, a bottle of Methuselah (8 times larger than standard size) 1990 Cristal Brut Millenum cuvée was sold at Chrisites in New York for $18,800. The most widely accepted theory over the Champagne's origin rests with the paranoia of Alexander II of Russia. During the late 19th Century the political climate in the Tsar's home country was becoming increasingly unstable. Fearing an assassination attempt using the dark glass of a wine bottle to conceal a weapon, he commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to create a clear, flat bottomed bottle. However, due to the intense gas pressure, all champagne bottles needed to have a bell shaped bottom to avoid the glass breaking. To overcome this issue the Flemish glassmaker had to use a type of lead crystal to make the bottle, which resulted in the wine becoming known as "Cristal". As a result, this champagne has a truly royal and exclusive heritage, which is reflected in the superior presentation of the bottle.

The 1990 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut has a lustrous pale gold color with delicate, elegant bubbles forming a fine gossamer string once openned. Very expressive on the nose, with an intense floral bouquet comprised of fragrant almonds, hazelnuts, and white flowers. On the palate is a generous, rounded, creamy attack followed by a touch of acidity to mark a finish of elegant persistence. Light and fresh, it is undoubtedly a wine of admirable magnitude with time. Overall, this is a wine guarding the Cristal tradition, possessing all the traits of a timeless creation.